RED
by CommanderLavellan
Summary: [originally Arch] AU. Commander Shepard is tasked with uncovering who has been killing alien races, both Council and non-Council races. But, to do that she has to put her past behind her. She starts working for the same organization that killed her family on Mindoir, much to her dismay, though her Uncle Anderson puts his full trust in this organization and now she will too, almost.
1. Prologue

**If you want to skip Shepard's Bio, go right ahead.**

* * *

 **Character Bio:**

 **Name:** Jane Trinity Shepard

 **Born:** 4/11/2154

 **Age:** 29

 **Hair Color:** [Original] Black [After Reconstruction] Red

 **Eye Color:** [Original] Violet [After Reconstruction] Green

 **Skin:** Ivory

 **Height:** 5'10"

 **Weight:** 163 lbs

 **Pre-Service History:** You were born and raised on Mindoir, a small border colony in the Attican Traverse. When you were sixteen slavers raided Mindoir, slaughtering your family and friends. You were saved by a passing Alliance patrol. After being taken back to earth you were left with your Uncle, Admiral David Anderson, who took you in. You joined the Alliance at the age of 18, became an N7 recruit at the age of 20 and graduated at 25.

 **Psychological Profile:** During your service, a mission you were on went horribly wrong. Trapped in an extreme survival situation, you had to overcome physical torments and psychological stresses that would have broken most people. You survived while all those around you fell, and now you alone are left to tell the tale. The Sole Survivor's unit was slaughtered in a thresher maw attack on Akuze.

 **Class:** Vanguard

 **Talents:** Incendiary Ammo – Cryo Ammo – Pull – Biotic Charge – Shockwave – Nova

 **Bonus Talents:** [Original] Flare [After Reconstruction] Flare – Dominate – Slam

* * *

Looking up, seeing the fluorescent lights flick past her as the nurses and doctors hurried her through the hospital. Her body was strapped down, her neck in a brace, her wrist bound tightly to the bed railing to keep her from moving any further. The sounds around were muffled, the light was blinding her in this hallway. She could hear her Kaidan yelling in the background, what? She didn't know. What even happened? How did she get here? Her eyes fixed in on a doctor as she leaned over, flashing another damn light in her eyes.

 _Stop!_

"S...e….c...he..r…?"

She opened her mouth, blood started to drip from the sides. The doctors panicked, moving her faster. She heard screaming as she was placed into the ER room. They locked all the door, the anesthesiologist placing a mask over her mouth and nose and told her to count back from ten.

 _Ten_

 _Breathe, Shepard, just—_ "Let go of her!" _Kaidan?_

 _Nine_

"Major, I'm going to ask you to please leave. Shepard needs—"

 _Eight_

"I know what you're going to do to her!"

 _Se...en_

 _What are they going to do to me?_

 _..Six._

"Stand down, M—" "No!" **Bang.**

 _..F..v…_

 _Shots fire_ _d_ _._ **Bang. Bang. Bang.**

 _...ur…_

Blood splashed on Shepard's face, a doctor fell on her. A syringe was stabbed into her chest. A scream. A shot. "Shepard!"

 _...hree.._

 _Kaidan, what are you doing? Kaidan!_ Kaidan shot the remaining doctors, his hand letting go of the weapon to clamp the open wound on his neck. "I...m sorry...Commander...I...fai..led..."

 _..w…._

 _N—NO! KAIDAN! KAIDAN DON'T—_

 _ **One**_

"SHEPARD!" Shepard shot up, screaming in pain. Her arms wrapped around her abdomen, her eyes struggled to look around the pitch black room. She wasn't in the ER room anymore, and from what she could tell, no one was in this room either.

"W...hr...am..." Shepard placed a hand over her mouth, coughing. Her throat was dry. A voice spoke over the intercom, complete gibberish to herself. She groaned, holding up a finger, quickly turned on her OT to check her translation. She hissed, moving her feet off the table and readjusting the frequency. She put her thumb up as the voice appeared in the intercom again.

"Everything alright, Commander Shepard?"

Shepard slowly slipped off the table, on hand holding onto her abdomen the entire time. Her words came out in hisses and forced laughter, "Could be worse. Though, it would be better too...Where am I?"

"Safe."

"Really?" Shepard wiped her brow, "I haven't been safe in years. How do you know—"

"We're sending someone in to assist you." A door on the far side of the pitch black room opened, a turian and an asari stepped through. The asari lit her omni-tool, pressing a few buttons before the lights in the room turned on.

 _So much for safe._ Shepard shielded her eyes from the light before looking around the room. It was a medbay, or maybe a tech lab. Probably a combination. She looked over to the two officers and held her wrists out.

"You aren't our prisoner, Commander Shepard." The asari spoke, taking a step forward, "Our commanding officer would like to speak to you."

Shepard furrowed her brows, clearing her throat, "Wh...Where is...Major Alenko?"

Asari's face turned grim, looking down than up at the Turian. Shepard sighed, "Okay, I...I get it. Let's go see your commanding officer."

The turian motioned for Shepard to follow, "Right this way, Commander."

Shepard walked with the two, the asari walked silently behind her with the turian took point. Neither of them had weapons, which set Shepard's radar off. Something definitely wasn't right. She watched the turian from the back, she's been trained to watched. She could tell by the way he moved he wasn't nervous, anxious, agitated. He was calm, the little jump in his steps means that he's happy...excited perhaps? Why? Shepard sighed as they started walking up a flight of stairs. Shepard held onto her side, using the other hand to hold the railing as she forced herself to walk up.

"Ah," The Commanding Officer, at least who Shepard assumes is, stood up and walked around his desk. A turian, taller than most she's met. His clan markings were white with a small tinge of sky blue, his eyes a piercing green, his skin darker than any turian she'd seen before. This turian didn't wear a visor though, which stroke Shepard as odd. _Must not be in the military, or just not any the field any longer._

"Commander Shepard," He walked towards her and stuck his hand out, "I'm glad to see we got to you in time."

Shepard eyed his hand suspiciously before taking it, "Who is 'we' exactly?" The turian laughed and nodded, motion her to sit. Shepard choose to sit in the couch in the back, away from the windows and also so should could laid down. She hadn't realized how much pain she was in until she walked up those damn stairs. Shepard grunted as she laid back on the couch.

"I—" Shepard hissed, "I'm sorry for laying down...I'm in a lot more pain than I thought."

"Liara," The Commanding Officer looked towards the asari, "Please retrieve Mordin Solus from his current study. Tell him Shepard has awaken and needs some minor medical attention."

"Yes, sir." Liara bowed, her arms crossed in front of her chest, before walking out. Shepard furrowed her brows and stared down at her bandaged chest and stomach. Blood was starting to seep through.

"Shit," Shepard moved, "I should—"

"It is all right, Commander." The Turian that brought her looked towards her, his mandibles flaring into a smirk, "You aren't the first who has bleed on a couch in here. That's our tenth in the past three months."

"That comforting." Shepard mumbled, but looked at the commanding officer just to make sure. He nodded and she settled back onto the couch.

"So," Shepard cleared her throat, "While I wait for, what I'm assuming, is either a shot to the head or thrown to a thresher maw, why don't we get down to business."

The commanding officers mandibles twitched into a smirk, "Anderson said you'd be funny."

"Anderson?" Shepard shot up, ignoring the pain in her stomach, "You know—"

"I do." The commanding officer walked over to her and sat on the coffee table in front of the couch, "He's the one who called me. Needed me to send in a team and get you out. Someone wants you, and others, dead. Admiral Anderson learned about the plot and contacted me—"

"Who even are you?" Shepard asked. Liara returned with a Salarian, who Shepard could only assume was Mordin by the way he instantly commanded her to lay down. Shepard complied, laying back down.

"My name is Nihlus Kryik," Nihlus spoke, pushing himself off the table and giving Mordin more room to work, "And I need your help."

Shepard watched Mordin as he cut the side of the gauze, laying a cloth over her breasts before slipping the rest of the gauze off.

"T—Thank you." Shepard's eyebrow raised in astonishment.

"Not needed to be worked on. Don't need to see." Mordin spoke quickly, pulling out a tweezer and non-absorbable suture material.

"Will sting, burn—possibly might scream." Mordin warned, diving into his work. The most Shepard did was grit her teeth, whatever meds they had pumped her up with at the hospital must still be in her system, or the Salarian added more when she arrived here.

"Where am I?" Shepard turned her head to look at Nihlus, who was speaking to the other turian that brought her in.

"Attican Traverse."

"Where in the system?"

"Nodacrux—"

"Vostok System. Maroon Sea—" Shepard cursed under her breath as Mordin finished stitching her up, " _Why_ am I here?"

Mordin handed her a black tank, saying a few words to Nihlus before leaving. Shepard pulled on the tank, not caring the Liara and the other Turian weren't distracted enough to not watch. Shepard slowly stood up, sighing in relief when she didn't feel any pain. Nihlus motioned for her to follow him, which she complied. They walked the halls of the large building. Shepard glanced through windows and saw other turians, asari, salarians, even a few krogan and drells. They had a few M35 Mako's a couple M-44 Hammerheads, a butt load of skycars.

"I've never seen such a diverse group work together before." Shepard admitted, "Things have been...tense, as of late. Udina becoming a council member hasn't exactly...worked."

"Yes," Nihlus sighed, his mandibles twitching in annoyance, "Udina is the worst possible human to be seated on the council. I would have chosen Anderson."

"Glad to see we're in agreeance there." Shepard nodded, "You still haven't told me why I'm here though. Or how I'm alive. How did I get here? I was in the Sol System. What happened to Major Alenko? Why was I attacked? What—"

"All of that," Nihlus stopped at the end of a long hallway and turned to her, "Will be answered if you agree."

Shepard waited a few moments for him to continue, "...Agree? To what?" Nihlus stepped to the side, showing a door behind him.

"I will wait out here. After you speak with him, give me your final answer. We need you in this fight, Commander."

Shepard nodded to Nihlus before stepping towards the door. She clicked on the green panel, the door sliding open to her touch. She turned her head to see Nihlus and the other two with their backs turned to her, blocking her exit from the hallway. She pursed her lips. S _mart, bastards._ It isn't like she would have anywhere to go if she broke out of here anyhow. The planet was deadly, if she got any of the pollen in her system, she'd be dead within the next hour from an allergic reaction. She sighed. She hated the universe sometimes. She shook away her thought and walked in through the door, it sliding shut behind her before the lights turned on.

"Commander Shepard." Anderson on the other side of the table, a warm smile on his face.

"Uncle Anderson." Shepard couldn't help but smile as she ran to his side, jumping into his arms. He laughed, patting her back and pushing her away to look at her, "Glad to see your still alive."

"I heard I have you to thank for that." Shepard laughed, taking a seat in the chair next to his. Anderson sat back down in his own chair and slide a data pad towards her.

"A father has to protect his children." Anderson sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"From all the 'hush, hush' I'm guessing this is going behind the Alliance's back?" Shepard picked up the data pad and turned it on.

"More than that, Shepard, I'm afraid." Anderson watched Shepard skim through the data pad, "This is going behind everyone's backs. Every race, species—everyone is under attack."

"Why me? I need to know what Kaidan died for." Shepard continued skimming through the data pad. "I recognize a few of these names. Saren Arterius...They _killed_ him?"

"Him and a few other Spectres, as you can see, but not all their targets are Spectres."

"Shit, Anderson." Shepard furrowed her brows, "But why me? Human Spectres aren't even being look at—never the less thought about. Not after Udina and his power hungry killing spree."

"You were under...consideration to become a Spectre. It was hush, hush—a need to know basis. They've seen how you handled Udina—"

"I'm guessing it's also because I have a bit of Admiral Anderson's blood flowing through my veins?" Shepard joked, flexing her arm, "You would have made a better Councilor...but I can see why. I can handle Udina and his bullshit, less diplomatic than you, but I get it done."

Anderson chuckled, leaning back into his chair, "We need to figure out who these people are—why they're killing Spectres and how they're getting away with it."

"...What about Kaidan?" Shepard set the data pad down and looked at her Uncle, "If I was their target..."

"They had to." Anderson shook his head, standing up and pacing around the table.

"Okay," Shepard sighed, "So...If I join this, whatever the hell is going on here, thing...what happens? I know how these things go, Uncle."

"You will no longer be Jane Trinity Shepard. The group here...I've worked with them before, the help criminals with talents—"

"My past life is gone. I'll be reconstructed, repurposed. No longer a...a Shepard." Shepard slumped back into her chair, pushing a hand through her hair. "I won't see you again...Will I?"

"Of course you will." Anderson answered quickly, turning around, "You are my family, no matter what—"

"But I'm not Jane Trinity Shepard anymore, Uncle. I'm...whatever the hell new name they give me."

Anderson around the table to her, "Yes, Jane Trinity Shepard will no longer exist. You will go through genetic modifications, your eyes will be different, your hair, maybe even your skin. But you will _always_ be Jane Trinity Shepard. No one can take that away."

Shepard bit her lip and picked up the data pad again, "Do we have any leads?"

"I..." Anderson cleared his throat, "I can't tell you, unless you agree to become part of this."

"What even is 'this'?" Shepard gestured around the room, "I still don't know who I'll be working for."

"Shadow."

"Shadow?" Shepard covered her mouth, stifling in a giggle, "Shadow? You fucking serious?"

"Watch your language." Anderson crossed his arms.

"Shadow, Anderson?" Shepard forced herself to stand up, "Shadow doesn't exist, Anderson. You told me they didn't!"

"I said what you needed to hear! You were about to leave Earth, unskilled, untalented, to go hunt down slavers—"

"That killed my mother! My father! My home! Your family!" Shepard started to yell, pointing towards the door, "I will never work for them!"

"They aren't the same anymore, Jane." Anderson spoke softly, "The people who did that to Mindoir are dead. _I_ made sure of that."

"Who are they now, Anderson? You just said they take in criminals—"

"Who _want_ to do better. They are given a trial before being accepted into Shadow. If Nihlus doesn't see remorse or potential, he tells them to leave. He doesn't want Shadow to go back to being what it was."

Shepard crossed her arms, glaring down at the floor, "You're asking a lot of me, Uncle. You're asking me to forget who I am, put away my grudges, and work for the people that killed my family."

"I'm not asking you to do any of that." Anderson placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder, "If you say no, you and I will leave...but you will be hunted down by whoever or whatever is doing this. The moment you become a Spectre..."

Shepard bit her lip, falling back into her chair, "I'll be dead."

"You have an option here, Jane...Do whatever you think is right." Anderson leaned his bum against the table, crossing his arms.

"The Council doesn't know about this?" Shepard looked down at the data pad.

"They have an on going investigation...but they still don't know that you were attacked. They don't even know that another Spectre was found dead last night in the Terminus."

"They're walking in blind." Shepard leaned her head back against the chair, looking at Anderson. "I...I know what the right thing to do here is, Uncle...But I still just have so much hate."

"I know, Jane." Anderson sighed, standing up, "I know." He looked up with the door opened, seeing Liara, the turian and Nihlus walk in.

"When this is over," Anderson placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'll buy us our favorite ice cream."

Shepard giggled, "Mint Chocolate—"

"Cannabis Ice Cream." He leaned down and planted a kiss on the bridge of her nose, in between her eyebrows, "I'll see you later...daughter."

Shepard quickly stood up and pulled Anderson into a bear hug, ignoring the pressure of her new wound, "Goodbye...dad."

Liara and the Turian escorted Anderson out of the room, Nihlus silently stood a ways from Shepard, watching her. She quickly wiped a stray tear away and deeply sighed, "O—Okay, Nihlus...I'm in."


	2. Chapter 1 (Part 1)

**Chapter 1 (Part 1): Shadows**

* * *

 _Sunset, I close my eyes  
I pretend everything's alright  
Drowning in anger from all these lies  
I can't pretend everything's alright  
Please don't let me fall forever  
Can you tell me it's over?_

* * *

Shepard stared up at the fluorescent lighting as she laid on another surgical table. She had agreed to work for the Shadows. Her past life now meant nothing to her, just a series of memories. As much as it killed her to see Jane Trinity Shepard gone, a small part of her always wished for this. A new life, a start over. Just...not with the Shadows.

"All right, Commander Shepard." Miranda, a women who she had been speaking to the last day, walked up from her side, a data pad in hand, "You've agreed to all the reconstruction – eyes, hair, skin, the works. Now, is there anything you wish us to leave?"

Shepard furrowed her brows, picking her head up to look at Miranda, "Leave?"

Miranda nodded, "Scars, tattoo's, piercing—"

"Only scars." Shepard laid her head back, closing her eyes, "And I want them _all_ gone."

"Understood, Commander." Miranda set the data pad on a near by table, "You'll be under anesthetics for two months, maybe a bit longer. We'll be bringing you out from time to time, checking brain waves and—"

"I know." Shepard snapped, harshly, "I just…I know, Miranda...I want to get this over with."

Miranda nodded and placed a hand on Shepard's arm, "I just need to confirm our agreements, okay?" Shepard nodded, looking over at Miranda.

"Hair color will be red." Shepard nodded.

"Eyes green." Another nod.

"All scars will be gone."

"Yes."

"We'll be upgrading your implants with the new L5n implant, per your request."

"Okay." Shepard took a deep breath.

Miranda nodded, a small smile forming on her lips, "We agreed the skin will stay the same, just the scars will be gone."

"Yup." Another deep breath.

"I think that's it, Commander." Miranda moved away, picking up a syringe from the table where she set the data pad, "Any last words as Commander Shepard?"

Shepard took another deep breath, looking back up at the horrible lighting, "...No, but thank you, Miranda."

"You're welcome," Miranda smiled again, a small nod before pushing the syringe into Shepard's thigh, "I'll see you when you wake up, Commander."

* * *

"Hear about the new recruit?" Liara walked into the mess hall, a bottle of water in hand. Wrex, Garrus, who was wearing his armored helmet, and Tali sat around a table in the back of the room.

"Shepard?" Tali asked, "She agreed?"

"She did." Liara smiled and sat down in between Tali and Wrex.

"Hmm." Wrex grunted, adjusting in his chair, "From her service record, she's something to be feared."

"Scared, Wrex?" Garrus joked, his mandible twitched into a smug smirk under his helmet.

"No." Wrex said, flatly, "I've heard of her tales and respect her as a warrior."

"He's scared." Tali chirped, smirking behind her suit.

Wrex grunted, waved his hand at Tali, "You wouldn't understand, Tali."

"I overheard that she is being implanted with the new L5n amp." Liara leaned forward on the table.

"You're joking." Garrus' mandibles flared, cautious, "Those haven't exactly been doing well with humans."

"With Jack's help, Miranda was able to modify it within a non-lethal range," Liara opened her water bottle, "With Jack's own L5x implant design, I wasn't surprised to hear they got it up and running so quickly."

"Look's like you'll have a new Vanguard to teach, Wrex." Tali spoke, leaning back in her chair.

"What are you talking about? She's already a trained Vanguard." Wrex grunted, "I'm too old to teach pyjaks."

"Let's just be happy she isn't choosing to become an Infiltrator." Liara glanced over at Garrus, raising an eyebrow, "You almost killed our last recruit."

"That was his own damn fault." Garrus' mandible twitched in anger, "He said he was ready to fight in hand-to-hand combat, I kept saying otherwise."

"He was your student, Archangel." Tali shook her head, leaning her arms forward against the table.

"And he didn't listen to his teacher." Garrus stood up, grabbing his sniper, "You know where I'll be."

* * *

Shepard stared at herself in the mirror, well, more like glared. Why did she agree to this? This was stupid! How could she so willingly get them take _her_. She didn't recognize herself. Her hair was longer and it was red. Her brown eyes that reminded her of her father were now tinted emerald green. Her skin was freckled now, probably a reaction to the implants. Shepard ran a finger across her cheek, frowning. She knew joining the Shadows meant never going back to her old life but now, whenever she looked in the mirror, she wouldn't see her old self.

"Maybe I should have kept a few scars." Shepard mumbled under her breath, her fingers wrapping around the sides of the sink in front of her. She turned her head to look at the neatly folded pile of clothes that were laid out for her on next to the table where she woke up. She quickly put them on, pulling the hospital gown off. N7 clothes, Anderson must have left them behind for her. She took a deep breath, pulling herself onto the table to lace up her boots.

"Shepard." Miranda walked in, a large Krogan a few paces behind, "Glad to see your awake." Shepard hummed as she continued lacing up her boots.

"I know this is quite the adjustment but—"

"I know what I agreed to, Miranda," Shepard stepped off the table and crossed her arms, "I'm ready. For anything."

Miranda smiled and motioned to the Krogan behind her, "Good. This is Wrex. He'll be helping you get use to your new implant. Wrex, you aren't allowed to head-butt her until I says so."

"Wasn't planning on doing it now—look at her." Wrex grunted.

"What's wrong with me?" Shepard narrowed her eyes at Wrex.

"Nothing." Miranda replied before Wrex spoke, "You just look tired. The meds are still in your system and you at least need another nights rest before starting your training."

"Training?" Shepard ran a hand through her hair, frowning at the new texture.

"Yeah," Wrex leaned forward, "You may be the best in the Alliance, but out here you're new meat. Get ready to be used as a punching bag." Wrex left after that, Miranda shaking her head and rubbing her forehead.

"Let's get you to your room." Miranda motioned for Shepard to follow.

"I'm assuming Nihlus will be filling me in on the situation?" Shepard spoke once they were out in the hallway.

"Tomorrow, after training. You really should rest first." Miranda replied.

"Why do I need to train? It isn't like I'm new to this." Shepard sighed, slumping her shoulders.

"You've been given a few..." Miranda pursed her lips, "Unique talents. Plus, the L5n implant needs to be tested before you start your mission."

"Okay," Shepard nodded as Miranda stopped walking, "I'll rest up and train." Miranda pressed the green button that laid next to the door. The door slid open, revealing Shepard own room.

"You'll be without a roommate until we are certain your amp won't cause yourself or anyone around you harm." Shepard shrugged past Miranda, walking deeper into the room. There was a bunk bed, a door leading to, what she hoped, was a bathroom. A dresser stood next to the bunk bed, also a night stand, with an oval shaped mirror above the dresser. A small lamp was on top of the dresser The room was filled with posters and drawings, she noticed a few quarian fan favorite scenes from Float and Flotilla. A few bands. Posters talking about upcoming guns and snipers, new biotic amps in the making. An empty locker laid against the wall near the door to the bathroom.

Miranda noticed Shepard looking at the locker, "A place for your weapons and armor, once we fit you into some. Some new weapons are being shipped here tomorrow, Anderson gave us the models which you prefer. Wrex will help you keep the amp from overloading. That's what the training is for, by the way, we don't think you're incapable of helping us take down whoever is doing this."

"Thank you." Shepard nodded, rubbing her eyes, "I'm happy I don't have to share a bunk with anyone yet...I'm not happy to be here."

"...I know about Mindoir—all of Shadow does. We don't want to make that mistake again. Not a lot of Shadow knows that Mindoir was your home, you'd have to look into your pre-military file to even know you use to live in Mindoir. And since all of those are gone now..." Miranda leaned against the door frame, a very pronounced frown on her face.

"Than you understand why I'm cautious." Shepard crossed her arms, leaning against the bunk bed railing.

"I do." Miranda nodded, "But you have nothing to worry about...I am sorry, though. I wasn't in Shadow during that time, no one here was. I—"

"It's fine." Shepard stood up straight, "I'll try to be a bit...nicer."

Miranda laughed, "Just be yourself. That smart tongue and know-it-all attitude will help you in the long run."

Shepard nodded, "Thank you."

"My room is right next door if you need anything. Your OT has the bases layout synched, you should be able to find everything without a problem." Miranda left Shepard alone, the door sliding shut behind her. Shepard let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and sunk into bed. She pulled the sheets over herself and stuffed her head into the pillow, which oddly smelt like sea water. Shepard smiled into the pillow, soon drifting off to sleep.

* * *

"Alright you filthy pyjak." Wrex stood in front of Shepard in a vacant hangar bay, save for a few broken down skycars. Wrex had informed her this is where they would train everyday, dawn till dusk, with only one 'potty break' as he put it.

"You ready to become the Ultimate Vanguard?"

Shepard stood up straight, her hands placed behind her back as she nodded, "I'm ready."

Wrex grunted, stepping in front of her and eyeing her, "I don't think you are, pyjak."

"I am." Shepard glared up at Wrex.

"Pyjak, you—" Shepard head-butted the krogan. She felt a crack in her skin, along her jaw line. Wrex moved back, clutching his head and grunting in annoyance.

"I said," Shepard hissed, "I'm ready."

Wrex sneered at Shepard, moving his face inches from her own. They stood there, glaring. She heard footsteps behind her, people were moving around the hanger. She would not back down, she refused to back down. From the corner of her eye she could see people were sitting on top of the skycars. Shepard saw Wrex throw back his arm, quickly jumping back as he fist slammed down the ground between them. He activated his barrier, Shepard doing the same and starting fighting. As she fought with Wrex, she saw people gathering on and around the skycars, some of them in awe. She heard a couple whispers as Wrex threw her over toward them.

"That's Shepard?"

"She's actually wearing Wrex down."

"Nihlus was right."

"She's single, right?"

Shepard quickly got back on her feet, sending out a Flare towards the krogan as he started running towards her. Wrex was thrown back, grunting as his body made impact on the hard pavement. Shepard's body glowed with biotics as she activated her biotic charge. Wrex only half way standing as Shepard's body flew into his, knocking him back, his body hitting the hanger wall which stood twenty feet away. Shepard panted, wiping some blood off her lip. She walked over towards Wrex, the whispers from the onlookers getting louder. They kept calling her Shepard.

 _Still haven't picked a different name._ Shepard panted, glanced back at the crowd, amazed more had arrived in the short period of time. She shouldn't have looked back behind next thing she knew she was flying towards the crowd. She skid to a stop in front of the crowd, inches from some of their feet. Shepard coughed, grunting as she pushed herself up.

"That's gonna leave a bruise." Shepard moaned, grabbing onto her stomach as she stood up.

"Had enough yet, Pyjak?" Wrex laughed, walking back to the middle of the hanger.

Shepard let out a short laugh, cracking her knuckles, "No, Sir. Not even close."

* * *

"I can't believe he did this to you." Miranda took one look at Shepard and regretted sending her to training so soon. Shepard smiled, some blood smeared onto her teeth. Wrex was on the other side of the med bay, getting looked at by Mordin.

"She head-butted me!" Wrex yelled over Mordin's shoulder.

"It's true. He didn't think I was ready to become the 'Ultimate Vanguard'." Shepard chuckled, using her fingers as quotations.

"You definitely weren't ready to start training, that's for sure." Miranda mumbled, starting to scrub the dried blood off of Shepard's face.

"Her amp is working fine, Miranda. You and Jack did well." Wrex called.

"I'll let Jack know that you agree with her work..." Miranda frowned when she saw the crack on Shepard's jaw. "What's this?"

"Hmm?" Shepard raised an eyebrow, moving her fingers over the crack in her skin. "I don't know. I felt it when I head-butted Wrex." Miranda had to hold back yelling at Shepard. She would do it later after dealing with her injuries.

"You hold up a good fight, Shepard." Wrex laughed, "Can't wait to do it again."

"Same here, Wrex." Shepard couldn't help but smile.

"We'll go over your weak spots tomorrow." Wrex got off the table once Mordin was done, "See ya later."

"You aren't going to quarantine me, are you?" Shepard asked once Wrex was out of the room, "I know scars aren't suppose to glow."

"It isn't anything I can't fix." Miranda comforted her, "It's just the cybernetics. They haven't had enough time to fully heal and adjust to all the ruckus." Shepard cringed as Miranda started cleaning the wound.

"Looks like that smart mouth of yours is making you popular." Miranda smiled, moving over to a shelf and pulling a plastic basket off.

"I won't lie...I missed fighting like that." Shepard smiled, "The Alliance has been going easy on me since Akuze. My mental state wasn't at what they wanted it to be. I still questioned myself, who wouldn't?"

"I wouldn't." Miranda frowned, looking over at Shepard, "Everyone know about Akuze and what happened. You did all you could to keep your men safe, they shouldn't have been on the field yet if they could break so easily."

"I know." Shepard furrowed her brows, "But as their commander—"

"You did everything a commander would have done. I understand replaying their deaths over and over in your mind, thinking of somehow, _someway_ you could have saved them." Miranda moved back over with the basket, setting it down next to Shepard, "But the truth is, you would have been killed too. Than the mission would have been a complete waste."

Shepard's lips thinned as she stared at Miranda intently, "You have a story too."

"I do." Miranda didn't deny is as she started cleaning a long cut on Shepard's arm, "Everyone does."

Shepard nodded, watching Miranda clean her wound, "I—"

"Shepard." Nihlus walked into the med bay, a turian, different than the one before, in full armor, helmet included, standing behind him and Liara.

"Nihlus." Shepard nodded to him, "Something I help you with?" Nihlus walked over to Shepard and handed her a data pad while Miranda still cleaned the wound on her other arm. Shepard activated the data pad and skimmed over the first page.

"This is the Spectre that was killed when I was brought in?" Shepard looked up at Nihlus, who nodded. "They can't find his body?"

"It seems all the bodies have been taken." Nihlus deeply sighed.

"Everyone they've killed? Including non-Spectres?" Shepard's voice faltered. _What if they took Kaidan..?_

"It would seem so," Nihlus scratched at his mandible, "The ship that was delivering the Spectre back to his home world was seized. All crew dead and the Spectres body missing."

"What do they need the body for?" Shepard continued looking through the data pad, inwardly cursing when Miranda stung her wound.

"That's what we want you to find you." Nihlus nodded to Miranda, "Get her patched up and have her start working on guns with Archangel, I need her ready to go off world by the end of the week."

"Yes, sir." Miranda bowed, her arms crossed over her chest as Nihlus left. The turian lingered a bit longer, staring at Shepard, before shaking his head and walking out.

"Archangel?" Shepard asked once Miranda was done cleaning her last wound.

"The turian that walked in with Nihlus, that's Archangel." Miranda gathered the dirty supplies and walked over to a trash shoot with it.

"He doesn't have an actual name?" Shepard wondered.

"He does. Just no one knows it, I honestly don't even think Nihlus knows it."

"Ah, well, I don't need to be taught how to shoot a gun." Shepard pushed herself off the table, rubbing her arm.

"He isn't strictly with guns," Miranda explained, "He'll be teaching you hand-to-hand combat as well, without the use of your biotics."

Shepard beamed, "More fighting?"

Miranda groaned, shaking her head, but a smile formed on her lips when she saw how excited Shepard was, "Yes, fighting. Just try not to head-butt anyone anymore."

"I can't promise that." Shepard shrugged, walking towards the door.

"Archangel is watching you," Miranda placed a hand on her hip, "Try to stay on his good side. He'll be part of your team when you go off world."

Shepard lazily flicked her index finger and middle finger off her forehead in a short salute, "Thank you, Miranda. I'll keep that in mind when I'm kicking his ass."

* * *

Shepard took her food and left the mess hall, looking for a place with a view, or at least actual light. The fluorescent lighting was giving her a headache. She ate while searching, throwing away the rest of her food in the next trash can she saw. She opened her water bottle and drank as she pulled up the buildings layout on her omni-tool. She never was told where she was supposed to meet this Archangel.

 _He's the gun expert here so maybe...the shooting range? Do they even have one here?_ Shepard skimmed over the layout, switching from floor to floor and coming up empty handed.

"What about a...would he be back at the hanger?" Shepard decided it was worth a shot and shut off her omni-tool, running towards where Wrex had brought her that morning. She was right, the floor she was on overlooked the hanger and there the turian was, sitting on one of the broken down skycars, cleaning his sniper. He still had his helmet on. Shepard raised a brow, moving over to the stairs behind her and walking down into the hanger.

"You're late." Garrus spoke as he continued to clean his sniper.

"I am." Shepard nodded, standing on front of the skycar.

"No excuses?" Garrus turned his head to look down at her.

"No point." Shepard shrugged. Garrus stared down at her for a moment before humming. He motioned his head to a table that sat behind the skycar, "Pick a gun."

Shepard moved around the skycar and looked down at the table. Her fingers trailed over the many guns. The M-96 Mattock. M-9 Tempest. M-22 Eviscerator. M-5 Phalanx. M-12 Locust. M-7 Lancer. M-300 Claymore. M-77 Paladin. M-8 Avenger. M-55 Argus. N7 Hurricane. M-11 Wraith. M-23 Katana. M-11 Suppressor. The M-98 Widow.

"The M-98 Widow." Shepard stared in awe as her fingers trailed over the cool metal. She's never seen one in person, only a handful of Alliance Militia she knew had. The weapon itself was from unknown origin, which made the Alliance 'vote' to never allow the weapon into Alliance ranks. She looked over her shoulder at Garrus who continued cleaning his own sniper.

"M-92 Mantis." Shepard tilted her head, mumbling to herself, "Good gun."

She hadn't realized Garrus had turned his head to look at her, clearing his throat when her gaze didn't leave the sniper. She quickly averted her eyes, picking up the M-98 Widow—

"Put it back." Garrus said, turning to look at her, "The M-11 Suppressor will be your gun."

"Pardon me?" Shepard placed a hand on her hip, setting the blunt part of the sniper on the ground, her hand curling around the barrel, "You just told me to pick a gun."

Garrus twisted on top of the skycar, placing his sniper next to him when he turned to her, "Pick up the Suppressor."

Shepard looked down at Widow in her palm, pursing her lips. She asked, looking back up at the turian, "Why the Suppressor?"

"Why the Widow?"

"Why not the Widow? It has a high accuracy. It can disrupt shields, pierce through armor and detonate biotic barriers. Mainly effective against krogans and armors vehicles—like the Mako or Hammerhead. The Widow can give clean head-shots at any range, even is capable of one-shot kills! It's also better than the Mantis." Shepard motioned with her head towards Garrus' gun.

He turned his head to his sniper then back to Shepard, "Why not the Suppressor? It's capable of clean head shots, good in close range, silent, deadly. It's based on stealth and doesn't draw hostile fire to the holder. Though the Suppressor has a lower damage rate than the Widow, you have thirty six shots instead of seven. If you think you can take down someone in close quarters with a sniper and seven bullets, than you don't need any other guns."

Shepard narrowed her eyes at Garrus, chewing on the inside of her cheek. It was hard to get a reading on him, mostly because of his stupid helmet. Turians were the hardest alien for her to read, so complex and always poised and rational. Krogans you could set off just by looking at them, you could see their fingers twitch when annoyed, hear their battle cries from miles away. She would rather be doing this with Wrex than 'Archangel' right now.

"Fine." Shepard finally spoke, setting the Widow back on the table and picking up the Suppressor, "We'll do this your way."

Garrus slid off the skycar, picking up his sniper after planting his feet on the ground, "Come with me."

Shepard, reluctantly, followed Garrus into a different part of the hanger. They walked through the door that divided this hanger from the next, where Garrus had set up a shooting range. Targets were drawn on the ten papers that hung from the ceiling, 100 yards from the loading table.

"You want me to use a pistol for long range?" Shepard looked at Garrus, her eyes questioning him, "You just told me the Suppressor was meant for _close range_. I need a sniper to do this!"

"I've read your service record... _Commander_. I know what you're good at, what you excel in and what you need work on."

"Your nicely saying 'You suck with a pistol'." Shepard grumbled, placing her left palm on the table and leaning on it, "And here I thought you'd be trying to break me."

"...As I've said, Commander _,_ " Garrus quickly set the record straight, "I know what you're good at. You're deadly, but you could be deadlier _if_ you learned to shoot a pistol correctly."

"But from this far?" Shepard looked over at the hanging papers.

" _Yes_." Garrus set his sniper down, taking the Suppressor from Shepard and shooting at one of the papers. All six bullets hit the paper.

Shepard hid her amazement, crossing her arms and tilting her head, "Okay, fair point." Garrus handed Shepard back the pistol and moved to lean back against the wall. Shepard reloaded the gun, letting the overheated thermal clip fall out before taking her stance.

"It's only a god damn bioticball field away," Shepard whispered to herself, "You've snipped further than this. Of course it was with a fucking sniper and not a stupid pistol but you can still do this." Shepard shot six rounds at another target, frowning when she didn't see her bullets pierce the paper. She continued to shoot, ignoring the small chuckle escaping to turian behind her as her bullet continued to miss the target. She growled, frustrated, and picked up the unused thermal clips on the table in front of her. Shepard reloaded her weapon and started to fire again. More chuckled as she missed the target.

"This makes no sense!" Shepard growled out, standing up straight and turning to Garrus, "Pistols aren't meant for long range shooting."

"Alright, Commander," Garrus pushed himself off the wall and walked over to her, "Let's say you're cornered in a building, the only way to get out of that building in through a bridge which is guarded by a krogan that regen's like a freak of nature. You're at a vantage point, you could easily shoot him down if you have a sniper but since you're stuck with a pistol what will you do?"

Shepard looked down at her pistol, "I'd try to shot him down before he came close enough to charge."

"Exactly," Garrus walked back over to the wall, "It isn't the weapon that has limitations, it's yourself."

Shepard laughed, "Y—You're high, right? A weapon does have limitations. If it didn't, there would be no need for thermal clips or different models. Every weapon as different recoil, different ammo, different damage—no weapon is the same. If every weapon was the same, I wouldn't be here talking to you right now."

"Oh yeah," Garrus leaned back on the wall, "I am most definitely high while I'm teaching an incompetent commander to shot a damn pistol."

"I'm not incompetent." Shepard growled at him.

Garrus stood up straight, "Coulda fooled me, _Commander_."

Shepard growled, turning away towards the target and firing the weapon. Each bullet hit the bulls-eye, much to Shepard's surprise.

"Anger is a good emotion, Shepard. Use it."


	3. moving

I AM **OFFICIALLY MOVING** TO MY **AO3 ACCOUNT** ( ** _SooraLavellen_** ) IS JUST TOO ANNOYING NOW. I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE, IT'S JUST TOO MUCH OF A HASILE. HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL ON MY AO3 ACCOUNT! MUCH LOVE!

 **~ VanguardShepard-Commander / SooraLavellan / CommanderLavellan ~**


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